Migrants pour into Rajouri, Poonch

26 May 1999
Pioneer News Service

Unannounced migration is taking place from hilly remote areas of the
northern border regions of Jammu as a follow up to increased militant
activities.

More than 2,000 people have migrated to Rajouri and Poonch districts. Some
of them have settled down in Rajouri and Poonch and few have even come down
to Jammu. These people belonging to all communities of Hindu, Muslim and
sikh, have bought land and have started constructions in Jammu, considering
it safe from the militants.

The border regions of Rajouri and Poonch, which share about 300 kms of Line
of Control (LoC), that is, border with Pakistani occupied Kashmir, have been
witness to a number of killings by militants. There have been several
instances where families have been wiped out. The militants have often gone
scot free. The estimated number of civilians killed in this belt in the past
one year alone is more than 150, official sources said. The Indian Army did
induct an additional division to conduct what it calls "seek and destroy"
operations. It achieved some success and killed more than 110 militants
since November last year. However, the number of militants and their hi-tech
gadgets have worsened the situation.

Those who arrived here, said on condition of anonymity, that some of their
relatives were still in the border region. The situation is "intolerable" as
the number of militants coming from across the border are constantly on the
rise. Fresh infiltration and the militants who are already there have posed
serious problems for the people living in those areas. There are areas in
these two districts where banks refuse to make drafts as they think that
huge cash transactions may invite trouble.

Security forces too admit that infiltration has become a major problem. They
claim that the terrain is such that it is difficult to completely rule out
infiltration.